Ukraine Missions Trip Prayer Requests!

As I mentioned in a previous post – I am getting ready to embark on a great New Horizons interview trip to Ukraine. I am so excited to be a part of this special team! We will visit many orphanages throughout the country to meet and interview potential host children for Christmas 2011 hosting. (For more info about Christmas hosting, see this link!) I am very very honored to be a part of this team & cannot wait to see what God does through our 2 weeks in Ukraine.

The first half of our team will leave August 23rd for the first week of the trip in Latvia. Then the rest of us will meet up with them in Kiev, Ukraine on September 1st. I have heard many great & difficult things about this trip. So, I am asking for specific prayer requests for our entire team this week.

Please pray that God goes before us and opens doors. That he may grant us favor and bless all of our efforts for the hosting program, and most importantly, for the children.

Please pray that everyone makes it to their destinations safely. Our first 3 depart for Latvia this week, and the other 3 of us to Ukraine the following week. The second shift of us are all flying separately, so please pray that we make all of our connecting flights so that we all meet up in Ukraine at the planned time.

Please pray for each of the foster parents and orphanage directors that we are going to meet in our time there. They are given the great duty to care for many precious orphans. Pray that we will be able to be encouragers and partners with them, to work together for the good of the most children in their care possible.

Please pray that we have positive interactions with and are Jesus to each of the orphans we meet. May we bring a special time of joy and fun to their homes. May we share love with them, even if just for a short time.

Please pray for each of the previous host children, to whom we will deliver gifts from their host families. May they remember that they are not forgotten and are very loved. And for those who are going to be offered adoption, may each of those children have clarity of thought and wisdom to be able to answer to that offer.

Please pray for all of the children, previous and new, who will be interviewed and selected to possibly be hosted for the Christmas season. May God give us wisdom and discernment to decide which of the children are prepared for the program. It can mean unmatchable life-change for each of the ones who are chosen.

Finally, please pray for all of the financing for the team to come together. I pray that you would consider giving (even the smallest amount) for the orphans we will ‘find’ on this trip, who’s lives will be changed and could soon be found by a forever family as a result of our time there. – For myself, I still have a measly $120 dollars to raise towards my personal expenses. This will go towards my personal expenses, such as food. If you are willing to contribute – as little as $5 – you may do so online, securely through my PayPal link – http://goo.gl/3nMDm-There also still remains a need for the organization’s trip financing as a whole. The need is large, but we trust in our God who is bigger. You may also see how to give a tax-deductible donation online at this link – http://www.active.com/donate/Christmas2011/wintertrip

Our interview trips aren’t simply about interviews; we have the opportunity to minister to many more children than will ever be able to come on the host trip. We take toys for ALL the orphans we come into contact with, as well as some thoughtful gifts for orphanage workers along the way. By the end of the interview trip, we will have visited dozens of orphanages and LOVED on hundreds of orphans and caregivers. In addition, we are able to learn about real needs inside the orphanages and, in the past, have been able to fund special projects that we learned about while on the trip and in the orphanages. Just as a few examples, we’ve helped repair hot water heaters so children would have access to hot water, assisted with equipment costs to set up sewing rooms for older girls to learn a trade and donated towards the care of specific special needs children we meet along the way who will likely never have a life outside of institutionalized care. There is much taking place on these trips and we covet your prayers and support so we are able to minister beyond simply interviews. (Click this link to see pictures of what we do!)

Thank you for your prayers & help! They are making a difference!

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

You will be in our prayers! We were so blessed by the winter trip and continue to be blessed as we follow stories of hosting and the progress of adopting families! I wish we were joining you, but we will be preparing for our own journey to bring our boys home for good!
It is so amazing that God chooses us as vessels for His service! There is no better place to be than exactly where God wants you!

Amen! It’s such an honor to serve & be used by God! I’m looking forward to following in your footsteps for the trip, it will be cool to meet the new kids and see them get chosen by new families in the coming months.
I’ll be praying that you get your boys home very soon!

My family has been so blessed by this program and by the generosity of all involved. You can truly see God’s hand working in the midst of it. Thank you!! for taking the time to be part of it. The Syferts will be praying for all of you…